IHSAA news
General COVID-19 guidance for 2020 fall sports
Updated release from July 29, 2020
Providing information and guidance relating to COVID-19 for member schools and participants of IHSAA activities in the fall 2020 season. This document as well as sport-specific guidance for cross country, football, and Class 4A golf are available through the IHSAA website and the COVID-19 Resource Center: iahsaa.org/covid-19. This document should be considered as providing recommendations from IHSAA & IGHSAU for their member schools, and should not supersede guidelines, mandates, requirements, and/or orders put into place by the: Iowa Governor’s Office Iowa Department of Public Health Iowa Department of Education Federal, local or county government entities Federal, local or county health departments Local School Districts Supervision It is the responsibility of the home team to provide proper administrative supervision (not the coach) at contests to assure compliance with the guidelines set forth by the Governor’s office, the Department of Education, the Department of Public Health, the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Return to Learn and Competition All schools, regardless of district/school Return to Learn plans, will be eligible to participate in IHSAA and IGHSAU sports programs. The decision regarding whether or not to allow teams to participate rests solely with local school districts. Schools deciding to not participate in a boys’ sport should send written notice from its superintendent or designated school official to IHSAA executive director Tom Keating by August 17. Eligibility for Students in Districts That Do Not Offer One or More Fall Sports Two options exist: 1. The district not offering the sport may develop a cooperative sharing agreement with a district that does offer the sport. This may jeopardize the host school’s postseason eligibility if the combined enrollment moves the host school to the next enrollment class. As per 36.15(4)(b) 2. Students in a district not offering the sport may open enroll to another district and would be immediately eligible to parSpring 2020
ticipate in that sport. In such a situation, students who open enroll would be ineligible for varsity competition in all sports which their home district offers. As per 36.15(4)(a) Academic Eligibility All students are considered academically eligible to begin fall sports in the 2020-21 school year. Regardless of the Return to Learn plan implemented, all students must be enrolled in at least four courses to be eligible. All other scholarship, open enrollment, general transfer rules apply. Pre-Participation Physicals As per the amendment issued by Governor Reynolds on June 25, all physicals signed on or after July 1, 2019 are good through December of 2020. Schools should use the previous PPP form for the 2020-2021 school year. The revised PPP form has not been approved for distribution. Return to Learn and Concussion Protocol The Department of Education, Iowa Department of Health and Iowa Athletic Trainers Society will clarify how Return to Play (RTP) protocols relate to each of the three Return to Learn options schools may implement. The general guideline is that a day of school is a day of school, regardless of how instruction is delivered. Transportation Guidelines will reflect school transportation guidelines which will come from the Department of Education. Possible or Positive COVID-19 Cases The Iowa Department of Public Health is developing guidance for county health departments and schools regarding protocols when a student and/or student-athlete reports COVID-19 symptoms, a positive COVID-19 test result or contact with a person with a positive COVID-19 test result. Each school should identify a point of contact for athletes,
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